


Promise in the Distance

by rannadylin



Series: Behold the Sun (Idalia) [1]
Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Character of Faith, Fictional Religion & Theology, Gen, Winter, orlans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-23 00:49:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20883431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rannadylin/pseuds/rannadylin
Summary: Idalia, priestess of Eothas, loves winter best of the seasons. This is why.





	Promise in the Distance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bazylia_de_Grean](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bazylia_de_Grean/gifts).

> So it’s time to write something about Idalia! Bazylia requested from the unusual words prompt list "apricity: the warmth of the sun in the winter" for Dal and I was reminded of one of my favorite songs from years and years ago and I went and listened to it and…uh, I think I found Dal’s theme song? At any rate it makes a great soundtrack for this ficlet (and for anytime Dal speaks to Eothas in her dreams in our rpg campaign…) and I may have alluded to the lyrics a few times in this fic too. :-D Listening along at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84ec3k0z2No while reading this ficlet is therefore highly encouraged.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Her fellow acolyte’s words barely registered on Idalia’s ears. Not for any defect in the ears; as far as they stretched out, naturally her hearing was keen. (Gilded Vale folk mostly seemed unaware of that, she’d noticed. They were often unaware of her in general, small as she -- apart from the ears -- was, unless on the rare occasions she deliberately drew their attention with her light. But this young would-be priest was small enough himself to be the exception. She wasn’t yet decided as to whether she appreciated his company, but there were too few young folk in the temple for her to be choosy.)

So she let her thoughts catch up with her ears and opened her eyes to see the boy staring from across the courtyard. “Cold?” she echoed. “No, not really.”

More staring. “Is it,” he was bold enough to ask, “because of the fur?”

Idalia giggled, so seriously he asked it. Too seriously for offense; she did not mind honest curiosity. “Well, that keeps my ears warmer than yours, I suppose.” He grinned, his ears pinking from more than the cold. “But also, it’s the sun.”

He squinted at the winter-grey sky. “The sun’s barely there now. It’s been snowing every day for a week, Dal.” He shivered and rubbed at his arms within his acolyte’s robes, as if mentioning this had made him feel the cold all the more. 

His breath made ice in the air and she took pity on him. “You should go in. I suppose I should too; I have been out here a while. I just like to see the sun in the winter, you know.”

His incredulous snort made ice in the air too, as they turned back toward the temple. “You can see it better in spring. I think Eothas is taking a winter nap.”

“Oh, but that’s why now is the best time to see Him,” Idalia insisted. “Spring and summer, every day He’s so bright you can’t miss Him.”

“The best time for us priests, no?”

She paused at the temple door and shook her head, looking back to the sky. It was grey now, more snow on the way perhaps; far beyond the clouds, the light shone dim, but still it shone. “Oh, no. Just the easiest. Also the busiest. But in the winter...you have to look harder. Be still even when it’s very cold. But if you close your eyes and turn your face to the sun, you can still feel Him. Still warming the earth, slowly melting the snow. A distant promise that spring is not so far off, and winter is not forever.”

“Hm.” Her companion gave the winter sun another, perhaps less skeptical glance, then tugged at Idalia’s elbow. “Okay, but you could wear a cloak at least. Or a scarf. I bet Siofra would knit you one.”

Idalia gave the sun one last smile and then followed the boy inside. The faint winter sunlight gave way to the crowds of candles with which the priests weathered the season, but the quiet of the courtyard stayed with her. Soon enough, spring’s warmth would return with all the bustle of celebrating Eothas’ triumph. For now, though, she treasured the quiet search for the winter sun.


End file.
